As a person's eyes views an object in a three dimensional (3D) space, the person's brain moves his/her hands in the same 3D space in response to the object viewed, for example, in a vertical dimension, a horizontal dimension, and a transverse dimension. While viewing a mirror image of a three-dimensional (3D) space, the visual observation is altered, that is, the orientation of the 3D space is reversed. The vertical dimension and the transverse dimension remain the same, but the horizontal dimension is altered. There is typically a left-right flip over of about 180 degrees. In such a situation, the brain is confused and is not able to function properly. Although the visual observation is reversed while viewing the mirror image, the brain still guides the hands by moving the hands towards the right when the hands are in fact moving towards the left and vice versa. The brain has to be trained to guide the hands to move in the 3D space with reference to the mirror image. However, as day to day activities are carried out in a normal space, the brain is confused as to when to switch between the two different spaces, for example, between the real image of the 3D space and the mirror image of the 3D space.
In many medical and dental procedures, the eye cannot directly view an operating field. During a dental procedure, a dentist normally uses a hand mirror to view the operating field. For example, during a root canal treatment, the position of a root canal is inside an oral cavity, and the only visual is provided through the reflection of the hand mirror. As the reflection in the hand mirror is an altered image, the brain is not able to guide the hands accurately in the proper direction. Moreover, dentists have to rely solely on their tactile sensation and cannot resort to the precision of visual guidance. Hence, in order to let the brain function normally, there is a need for a visualization apparatus that provides a normal vision of the operating field by creating an image having the same orientation as that of the operating field.
Furthermore, medical practitioners, for example, dentists have to bend their heads to observe an image reflected by the hand mirror. During a long procedure, bending the head for a long period tends to create tremendous stress in the neck area and in the brain. Medical practitioners, for example, dental professionals are therefore known to have a high morbidity rate. In order to reduce mental and physical labor during such medical procedures, there is a need for a visualization apparatus that provides a direct 3D vision of the operating field without the need for a user of the visualization apparatus to bend his/her head, to provide enhanced hand-eye coordination and eliminate stress on the neck, back, and brain of the user.
Hand-eye coordination refers to a coordinated control of hand movement with eye movement and processing of visual information to guide reaching and grasping actions to execute a task. In many medical and dental surgeries, hand-eye coordination is an important factor affecting the performance of medical practitioners during the surgeries. During most dental surgeries, a proper vision of the operating field is unavailable due to limited access to the operating field. For example, during a root canal treatment, visualization of a tooth pulpal chamber is difficult due to the position of the tooth, the small opening of the pulpal chamber, the tiny and sometimes invisible orifice of the root canal, poor lightning into the pulpal chamber, etc. Without proper instrumentation, detailed viewing of a pulpal space is not possible and the root canal treatment must be performed without visual guidance.
Recent advances in visualization of digital information have enabled a higher level of hand-eye coordination during a complicated surgery such as a root canal surgery. Large microscopes, for example, the Seiler microscope are commonly used by medical practitioners, for example, endodontists, to gain vision into the pulpal space. Although the large microscopes have a high magnification power, the large microscopes can only be used at a distance from the tooth, and operate only if a direct visual is available from a distance. A common tool that allows a high level of hand-eye coordination is, for example, a high speed dental handpiece. With moderate training, dentists use the high speed dental handpiece to remove decay and reshape a tooth surface. The dental handpiece resembles a writing pen with an operating angle that allows fine motion control. Therefore, there is a need for a visualization apparatus configured as a dental handpiece of a predetermined small size that can be inserted in the operating field, for example, the oral cavity for visualizing the pulpal chamber to achieve enhanced hand-eye coordination.
Hence, there is a long felt but unresolved need for a method, a visualization apparatus, and a system that enhances hand-eye coordination during a medical procedure without requiring a user of the visualization apparatus to bend his/her head. Moreover, there is a need for a visualization apparatus that resembles a handpiece and is small enough to be inserted in the operating field. Furthermore, there is a need for a visualization apparatus that provides a direct vision of the operating field by creating an image having the same orientation as that of the operating field.